Vale Stands Tall
by brassleader
Summary: Ruby Rose and her family are some of Vale's newest residents. The city, once a shinning example of industry, is slowly beginning to fall apart. Entire districts abandoned for greener pastures while other groups try to carve out a place in the city's growing underbelly. The addition of one girl will set in motion the events that bring a hidden war to its boiling point.
1. New Beginnings

**Since most of the JoJoxRWBY stories have been taking the JoJo cast and putting them through the RWBY universe or adding Stands to the RWBY universe, I decided to take a different approach. For some form of reference, my favorite JoJo parts are 4, 5, & 7\. Those three parts are what helped shape my views and tastes in manga into what they are today. This will be my second story that isn't a sequel to HtH and I'm happy to try my hand at something different. For those of you from the RWBY fandom, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure has my highest possible recommendation to watch/read. For those of you in the JoJo fandom, RWBY is an okay web series from Roosterteeth, with a talented and very creative fanbase.  
**

 **With all the formalities out of the way, let's start the show.**

 **Beta Reader: Poliamida**

* * *

A red SUV traveled down an empty highway. The sky was nearly empty, spare for a few clouds that failed to provide any cover from the morning sun. The back of the car was loaded with cardboard boxes and a few had been piled in the rear seats next to a girl who was currently asleep. The girl had short black hair with red tips and wore an eye mask as she slept. The occasional bump in the road would jostle her body, but she would just as quickly rest her head back on the pillow and return to her dreams. A man with short blonde hair in his forties was driving the car with care. Turning his head he saw his other daughter in the passenger seat staring out of the window.

"Are you sure this was a good idea, Dad?" The blond teenager in the passenger seat asked.

"I know you and Ruby aren't exactly thrilled about the move, but I think this will be good for everyone. A fresh start in a new city and an even better paying job for your old man." The driver said as he looked in his rear-view mirror to check up on his sleeping daughter.

"I get that. I'm just worried about Ruby. You know how she gets when she meets new people."

"This isn't ideal for any of us, but we have to make the best of it." He pulled a bottle of water from between his seat and began drinking it. "We just have to look on the bright side. A new school means new friends and new possibilities."

"Alright. It's going to be a pain trying to fit in, though. Everyone else has had three years to form their own circle of friends. I doubt I'll have any trouble fitting in since I'm me," Yang said confidently before casting her gaze towards her sister. "Ruby, on the other hand, is something else entirely."

"Ruby can also hear you two talking about her while she tries to get some sleep." Ruby pulled her eye mask off and glared at the two. "I'm not a kid anymore, Yang. I can take care of myself."

"You still crawl into my bed whenever you have a nightmare." Yang retorted, watching her little sister's face turn red.

"Both of you calm down. We're nearly in town and soon you'll get to check out the new house." Their father tried defusing the argument, seeing how worked up his daughters could get.

"Fine," Both sisters said in unison.

The rest of the ride was completed in silence as the two sisters stared out the window at the passing scenery. The houses seemed to be fairly spaced out with each on having a front and backyard. Driving over a hill, they were greeted with the sight of farmland in the distance and a few neighborhoods that made up the boundary between the two sections. They even had a forest that nearly came up to the neighborhoods and ran up the surrounding hills. The sight was something the sisters had never imagined being able to experience.

The car slowly drove down the hill and turned left into a suburb. The houses were all two stories in height and street lamps adorned every corner. Eventually, they came upon a house with a moving truck parked in front of it. The driver of the truck was standing outside his car and drinking from a flask. The man appeared to be in his forties with his spiky black hair beginning to show some signs of graying. Ruby nearly ran out of the car the moment it stopped and leaped at the drinking man.

"Uncle Qrow, what are you doing here?" Even with Ruby hanging off his arm, Qrow easily lifted her off the ground.

"Helping out your dad. Someone had to drive this thing across the country." Qrow tapped the truck with his fist. "Did you have a nice trip coming down?"

"Got plenty of sleep. Did you have any adventures since you last visited?"

"Sorry kiddo, but I haven't done anything crazy in a while. Give me another month or two and I'm sure something will pop up. Speaking of which, did you learn any new tricks while I was away?"

"Haven't had much time to practice since Dad gets angry when I play with her." Ruby sheepishly replied.

"Give it time, it's as much a part of you as your arms and legs. It just takes some practice to work out the little details."

"Qrow, get over here and help me unload the car." Ruby's dad yelled as Yang popped the back of the car open and started getting to work.

"No reason to blow a fuse, Taiyang. We have a long day ahead of us and I rather not start off on the wrong foot."

"Alright, Qrow. Now let's get unpacking. We only have this truck for another day so everything has to come out of it before tomorrow night." Taiyang pressed a button and opened the garage revealing a nearly pristine empty space. Sitting in the corner of the garage was a bright yellow sports bike.

Yang immediately set her box down and rushed over to the bike. She wrapped her arms over the bike in a hug. "I'm so glad you made it here safely."

"Should I be worried?" Qrow asked, seeing his niece begin to rub her cheek against the frame of the bike.

"Yang get likes that around Bumblebee. It's like how I get around some of my creations." Ruby said as she carried a box to the back of the garage and set it down against the wall. "Yang did make her with some help from dad."

"This entire side of the family is composed of gearheads. Never had the patience to learn that sort of stuff myself, but if you like it then it's at least something you enjoy." Qrow stacked his box on top of Ruby's.

"Come on Yang. You can give Bumblebee all the love she needs once we've finished offloading all these boxes." Taiyang said, causing Yang to sorrowfully part with her bike and get back to work.

They emptied out most of the SUV when Ruby pulled out a box revealing the small kennel behind it. The sudden increase in light shining through the front had awoken its occupant. Ruby heard the shuffling and went over to the kennel and poked her fingers through the door. It was met with a dog licking the appendage as Ruby laughed from the sensation. Ruby opened the door and a small corgi walked towards the rear of the car and jumped out of the back of the car. Seeing its owner, it ran towards Taiyang. The dog began running circles around its owner in an attempt to gain his attention. Taiyang knelt down and began petting the now energetic dog.

"Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy? That's right Zwei, it's you." He picked the dog up and began to spin him around.

"I think it's time for a break." Qrow reached over and grabbed the car keys from Taiyang's jacket. "I'll grab us some food from a nearby burger joint."

"Can I come along?" Ruby asked nearly leaping at the chance to see the town.

"Why not? You two going to be okay by yourselves?" Qrow turned around to see that his brother-in-law was already tossing a ball for the dog and Yang had gone back to her bike's side. "They'll be fine. Come on, Ruby."

Ruby opened the passenger door and stepped into the car while Qrow closed the back. It wasn't long before the car was slowly pulling out of the neighborhood and into the town. After they made it over the hill it became apparent that the rural town sat on the edge of a city. The towering buildings easily recognizable across the horizon as they passed over the freeway. It almost seemed like a miracle that something so quaint could exist so close to something so large and busy. Ruby was pulled from her thoughts when the car came to a stop outside fast-food joint called Keith's Burgers.

Stepping through the entrance they saw a single cashier minding the front and two people in the back chatting away with each other. The girl out front had dark red hair in a waist-length ponytail and green eyes. She smiled at them as they entered the empty venue. "Welcome to Keith's Burgers. How can I help you?"

"We'll have two chicken sand combos, the largest burger you have, and what do you want, Ruby?" Qrow moved to the side to let Ruby step forward.

"I'd like a four piece chicken strip, if that's okay?" Ruby shied away from the girl and back towards her uncle.

"That will be 27 dollars and 86 cents. Will this be for here or to go?" The cashier asked as Qrow handed her a fifty dollar bill.

"It's to go," Qrow answered.

"We'll call your number in a few minutes then." She handed a receipt over to Qrow with the digits 307 in bright red ink running across its top.

Qrow and Ruby turned around to take a seat when they heard someone behind the counter let out a cheer. Hearing the noise, Qrow turned his head to see the cashier don a sheepish smile before walking back to the kitchen. Two more girls were working the back. Both surprisingly had light red hair at roughly the same shoulder length, though one kept hers curled. Ignoring the commotion, Ruby and Qrow headed to a booth.

"So, how's your Crescent Rose project coming along?" Qrow asked, seeing Ruby perk up immediately from mentioning the subject.

"Ran into a bit of a roadblock when I tried miniaturizing it. I finally got her to launch spheres fast enough to shatter branches and crack tree trunks, but I can't exactly hold it in one hand now."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out. You always had a good head on your shoulders for things like that." Qrow brought a finger to his chin in contemplation. "Then you've given up on Thorned Rose?"

"I haven't given up on her, it's just that it doesn't have any real stopping power unless I cheat."

"Using your abilities isn't cheating, Ruby. It's just using a skill that's unique to you. The world is very unfair and you'll need every edge you can get to come out on top." Qrow could see the beginnings of shame cross Ruby's face for a moment.

"Can we avoid another discussion on our world views between what is clearly a pessimist and an optimist."

"Hey, I'm not a pessimist. I've just come to expect the worst in most situations, so I can respond appropriately. Gives me an edge in my line of work." Qrow proudly stated.

"It can't be- "

"Order 307," The cashier said.

"-that bad. We can talk about this on the ride back." Ruby got out of her seat and walked towards the front with her uncle.

Qrow walked up to the counter and picked up the two paper bags while brushing his hand against the girl's. The shadow of his hand flickering for a moment as they touched. Ruby frowned, but remained silent at the sight. "Sorry, about that. Come on Rubes, we need to get back before Yang decides to eat Zwei."

As they walked out of the restaurant Ruby punched her uncle in the arm. "What the heck was that about? She was nice and everything."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I saw it come out of your hand. You shouldn't do stuff like that to people who aren't jerks." Ruby argued with some anger clear in her voice.

"She'll be fine. She got a small dose and should be back to normal in under 5 minutes. The place was deserted anyway, so what's the harm?"

"You're the one who told me not to go showing it off."

"A little fun now and then never hurt anyone. Besides, I know how to keep it subtle. With enough practice, you'll be able to manipulate objects through your own hands without the glow, instead of drawing it out entirely."

"Fine, but if I come back and it turns out she was fired then you owe her. I don't mean one of your drunken apologies either. You'd need to actually help her."

"Alright, alright, if it comes to that I'll help her out. I doubt a high schooler like that would get fired for being a little out of whack for a moment." Qrow got in the car and tried to get the keys in the ignition, fumbling the metal in his fingers for a moment, as Ruby got in the passenger seat.

"Aren't you supposed to see the worst outcome for things like this?" Ruby pulled a chicken strip from one of the bags and began eating it.

"I see the worst when it comes to me, not others' problems. It's tough enough looking out for number one when I'm not looking out for everyone else." Qrow brought a hand up to his forehead to wipe off some the sweat.

Ruby rolled down her window to let a breeze pass through the car. "Are you okay, Uncle Qrow? You seem a bit pale."

"Just a little tired is all. I had a long drive and all that manual labor didn't help. It will pass once I get some food in me." Qrow turned his head to see Ruby staring out towards the highway.

The rest of the ride was quiet, save for the occasional wrinkling of paper as Ruby dove back into her bag for some more food. Pulling into the driveway, Ruby jumped out of the car and ran to the house with both bags in her hand. Opening the door revealed Her father and sister both resting their heads against the kitchen counter. Both looking exhausted as Zwei ran at Ruby to greet her. Ruby placed the bags on the counter and went to petting her dog as it flopped over on the cool tile. She barely got to rub Zwei's belly when the sound of paper being viciously torn apart filled the room. Looking up, Ruby saw her dad devouring one of the chicken sandwiches and her sister trying to bite into an oversized burger.

"Sweet, delicious meat, you've saved me once again from the precipice of death." Taiyang sang while taking another bite.

"This is so good." Yang managed to say after swallowing the first bite from her meal.

"I think we might just pull through this Yang. The heavens are shining upon us today and have granted us a feast after being abandoned."

"I was gone for 20 minutes at most!" Ruby shouted back at the two.

"Tai always did have a flare for the dramatic. Now, how about we all pull up a seat and enjoy our meal." Qrow pulled a cardboard box over and sat atop it.

"Fine," Ruby said in defeat as she grabbed another box to use as a seat.

Half of her meal was already eaten on the car ride over, but it helped that she tended to eat slower than the rest of her family. After a moment, Yang and Tai pulled up their own seats as everyone ate their meal. Yang's burger almost appeared comical due to its sheer size. The blonde teenager pressing on the top and bottom bun to try and make it a more manageable size. Ruby laughed at the sight along with Tai, as Yang managed to take another bite of her meal.

Everyone was enjoying their meal when the sun had begun to set over the mountains in the west. A soft glow was all that remained to light the darkness as Taiyang went out to lock up the cars and the garage. When Tai came back inside, he brought three sleeping bags and pillows. Walking into the living room he laid them on the carpet floor.

"Well, this has been fun," Qrow started, "but I have to go check in at my hotel. I'll see you guys in the morning and help you finish unpacking. If you're lucky I might even bring some breakfast."

"See you later, Uncle Qrow," Ruby shouted while waving goodbye.

Yang and Tai also waved goodbye as Qrow walked out the front door. The moment it was closed, Yang flopped over on the floor to join her dog on the cool tile. "Do we have anything to do for the next few hours?"

"Give me a minute to find the Television and I might be able to find the VHS player." Tai said walking towards the garage to sift through the boxes.

"Think Dad will find it?" Ruby asked rolling off of her box onto the floor.

"I doubt it, but as long as he finds the television we can blow a few hours on some games. I made sure to pack them in a labeled box so they should be easy to find." Yang replied with a smile as she got up to start going through the boxes with her father. While the rest of her family was away, Ruby reached into her pocket pulling out a 1-inch ball bearing. Taking it in hand she began tossing it up and catching it repeatedly. A soft glow encompassed her hand as she got ready to throw it again when Yang and her father came back in. The glow dissipated immediately as she stuffed the ball back in her pocket.

"Found the television," Tai said happily.

"And I found our consoles," Yang said with a grin. "Who's up for a game of Mario Party 3?"

Ruby leaped up and strode over to her sister before taking the box and plugging in the system. It was an easy process as Tai put the TV up against the wall and found a power outlet for it. With a flip of a switch, both devices turned on. Ruby happily sat on her sleeping bag as Yang leaned up against a wall. The three enjoyed their night, each with a controller in hand.

* * *

Sun seeped through the window and woke Ruby up from her slumber. Turning her head away from the source, Ruby found herself still wearing yesterday's clothes. Having fallen asleep in the restrictive confines during a match. Trying to move, she found something had wrapped itself around her in a crushing hug. Ruby began to struggle when she realized a blonde mass of hair was obscuring her view. Any movement seemed to only increase the pressure so she reached into her pocket and pulled out a ball bearing. A red glow began to burst from her hand for a moment. Tightening her grip on the ball, she watched as the glow subsided and the once steel ball turned a shade of crimson.

Ruby tucked the ball between her thumb and forefinger before launching it from her hand with a flick of her thumb. The ball launched out of her hand and struck the wall and ricocheted off in complete silence. Bouncing off the ceiling, it catapulted downwards to strike with a thump. The move had the intended effect as Yang let out a cry and brought her hand up to press against the forming lump.

"Did you hit me on the head?" Yang asked as Ruby rolled away from her sister and stood up.

"Of course not." Ruby used her foot to scratch the back of her leg. "I just dropped a steel bearing on your head."

"You do know I'm going to have a red mark on my forehead, right?"

"On the bright side, at least you aren't going out today," Ruby gave a light laugh to ease the building tension.

"That makes me feel so much better about all this. Man, that stung." Yang continued to rub her head to alleviate the pain. "Try not the do that next time or at least let me watch when you go for a trick shot."

"Pfft," Ruby sputtered her lips in shock, "What? I'd never do something like that. You know dad doesn't like it when I play around with my abilities."

"We both know you'd never stop trying to learn something because dad told you not to. So how'd you do it this time?"

"From my hand to the wall then dropped it from the ceiling atop your head." Ruby automatically replied with a hint of pride in her voice.

"Not you most creative one, but still pretty cool. Maybe we can try something in the woods later. Set up some cans and see how well you do with trees." Yang gained some pep at the thought of some bonding time.

"You know I'm not good with bark and stuff nature created. It makes the angles go all wonky since nothing is flat." Ruby complained. At least in civilization everything was smooth and angular, making it easy to predict the path of her spheres.

"How do you plan on getting any better unless you practice on your weak points. Why do you think I started taking leg day so seriously a year back? Got my butt handed to me by some girl who crescent-kicked me in the head. Now I can do all sorts of stuff besides boxing. You have to mix up your repertoire if you want to see something new." Yang brought her left leg up and raised her arms in a defensive stance. Her arms and legs had some definite tone to them thanks to all the work she put in.

"Maybe after we finish unpacking. I don't know about you, but I want to get our beds finished today. Nothing beats sleeping on your own mattress." Ruby said dreamily as she thought about how comfortable she would be tonight.

Yang pumped her arms at the success and went upstairs. The sound of running water could be heard while Ruby walked outside and saw her dad pulling things out of the moving truck. "Ruby, do you mind helping me haul some of these boxes in before Qrow gets here."

"Sure thing, Dad. Do you think we could reassemble our bed before tonight? It'd be nice to have an actual bed to sleep in for the night."

"Shouldn't be a problem." Taiyang brought a box from the back of the truck and handed it off to Ruby.

Qrow showed up after about an hour had gone by. All the boxes had been offloaded and all that remained were the items that couldn't be boxed. Items like the fridge, freezer, beds, chairs, tables, and furniture in general were all that remained. Ruby had even started sorting the boxes into categories depending on whether they would come inside the house or stay in the garage.

"I brought breakfast for anyone whose interested." Qrow said, walking up to the two as Yang ran out the front door.

"Sounds great," Yang said with a grin as she grabbed one of the bags.

"Come on. We better head in before she eats everything." Tai told Ruby.

"You're probably right." Ruby walked towards the front door.

Going inside they saw Yang standing at the counter and eating one of the egg sandwiches. Ruby walked up and grabbed one of the other sandwiches and pulled up a nearby box to sit on. It wasn't long before Qrow and Tai came in and started eating with the two sisters. By the time, they finished their meal it was already 9 and Ruby could already feel her arms aching from the inevitable work they'd have to put in today.

Luckily, a few well-placed pouts and cries could easily force some work off of her and towards Yang. It had been 8 hours of hard work when they got all the furniture out of the truck and into the house. Ruby was amazed at what a few chairs, tables, and couches really did to make the home appear more lively. Yang was collapsed on the couch in exhaustion, while Ruby sat in an armchair. Qrow had left to return the truck and head back to his home. Even their father had left to go to the grocery in hopes of making dinner. Yang was the first to move by popping her head up over the couch to look at Ruby.

"You still up for some target practice?" Yang asked.

"Sure. Just leave a note for dad so he doesn't flip when he comes back home." Ruby suggested, knowing how protective their father tended to be.

It wasn't long before Yang had donned her gloves, jacket, and pulled out a spare helmet for her sister. Ruby ran into the garage with a backpack and jacket on. She got on the back of the bike as Yang handed her a bright red helmet. Ruby gripped her seat as Yang gave a thumb up and started driving out of the driveway and onto the street.

The wind was whipping around them as Yang pulled onto the freeway. The sun was still beating down on them providing enough heat to help keep the wind from chilling them. Time flew by Ruby rested her head against Yang's back. Before Ruby knew what happened, Yang's bike had started to slow down.

"20 minutes on the freeway and 10 on the backroads. I honestly expected it to take us longer to get here." Yang's bike came to a stop on the dirt road. Bringing it close to the edge of the road, she hit the kickstand out and removed her helmet.

"Are you sure we're out far enough?"

"We'll be fine. Let's just get a little way away from the road to set up the targets." Yang pulled a few sodas cans out of her backpack and placed them on a few low hanging branches in the area.

While Yang began setting up the targets, Ruby reached into her backpack and pulled out a slingshot. The weapon was attached to an arm bracer with a magnetic strip running along both sides. 8 steel bearings were stuck to each strip for easy access to the ammunition. Ruby had a grin run across her face as she slipped the familiar weapon back on her left arm. Tightening the device, she gave a few quick swings of her arm to make sure it was secure.

Yang came back out of the brush and took Ruby by the arm to lead her to the targets. The bright red cans stuck out against their green background making it easy to see them as they approached the firing position. Ruby plucked a ball from her bracer and held it in her hand. After a moment, a red glow began to radiate from her right hand. Ruby loaded the red sphere into the pouch of the slingshot and looked around expectedly, but whatever she expected to happen failed.

"She didn't show up this time either?" Yang knew the look her sister was giving. Disappointment, regret, and sadness all rolled up in one.

"No, I've only seen her twice Yang. It makes me wonder if I'm ever going to get as good as Qrow. He can manifest his Stand whenever he wants and I can barely draw out mine's power. Makes me feel like I'm broken or something." Ruby was nearly in tears when Yang hugged her.

"You're not broken, Ruby. Qrow is old and has been doing this for god knows how long. Can you even imagine what he's had to do to get where he is?" Yang thought back to all the stories he told about tracking down other people like him and Ruby. "Do you still want to shoot some targets or do you want to go home?"

Ruby stepped back from Yang and used her own sleeve to wipe her eyes. "I'll shoot a few."

"That's the Ruby I know." Yang ruffled her sister's hair before leaning back against a tree to watch.

Ruby raised her left arm and drew the sling back with her right hand. Ruby leveled her weapon with the can in the distance for a moment before aiming at a nearby tree. Releasing her grip, the ball shot forward at blinding speeds towards the tree. The red blur bounded off the tree and the crimson coating vanished as it neared the can. Instead of a clang though, all that was heard was the bristling of leaves as the ball passed through some leaves.

Loading in another ball, Ruby fired at the tree. The shot went off course completely after the first ricochet. The ball being propelled into the forest and out of sight. Ruby continued firing shot after shot with each one deviating further and further from the intended target. Taking one last shot, Ruby released her sphere only for it to rebound and shoot back past her. Yang jumped up and rushed to Ruby fearing that her sister may have been hurt.

"Ruby, are you okay?" She asked concerned.

"Can we go home now?" Ruby weakly asked, refusing to look up to meet her sister's eyes.

"Sure thing. Just let me collect the cans and we can ride back." Yang went to work as her sister took off the arm bracer and stuffed it in her backpack.

Ruby was sitting on the bike with her helmet on when Yang walked onto the road. They were quiet as Yang put her helmet one and started the engine. Ruby wrapped her arms around her older sister. With a nod of confirmation, she brought her kickstand up and took off. The sun had begun to set and it would only be a few minutes before it dipped below the mountain.

* * *

 **While the opening is as bombastic as my other series, I felt this type of build up and tease made for a okay first chapter. When I was creating the outline for this story, the first thing I did was create about 18 stands. Felt appropriate to create a bank of Stands and figure out how fights could play out between them. I decided to take an old friends advice and gave every named character a background so they have a life outside of the story's happenings. I can't say the story writes itself, because it sure as hell doesn't, but some parts have become much easier to envision and get on paper. The next chapter should be up in 2 weeks on Sunday. Until then, I hope you have an enjoyable 14 days. Also, like my other stories, feel free to message me or ask something through the review. I tend to answer within 24 hours of receiving the message. Worst case scenario is that I don't get to it for 48 hours if I have a 14 hour work day, so feel free to ask away.  
**


	2. Dawn

**Sorry this is coming out a few hours late. Work was killer yesterday and sleep after a 12 hour shift is my top priority when I get home from that. Really glad I have this story and a another to jump between when I feel some burnout or writers block coming on. Those of you who were around during my last story know my I'm dedicated to long form and completion. that means that unless I die, this story will be completed. I understand why some people would want to quit writing a story, but I will finish anything I start.**

 **Let's get our day started then.**

 **Beta Reader: Poliamida**

* * *

"Have fun at School you two," Tai said as the car came to a stop.

"I'll be sure to keep Yang out of trouble." Ruby jumped out of the car with a smile on her face.

"Just try to stay out of trouble. Both of you have a knack for being at the center of any disaster."

"The Auditorium needed to be repaired anyways. If anything, me and Ruby should have been rewarded for making them get on with replacing the decrepit thing," Yang said proudly. She got out of the car to follow Ruby.

Tai rolled down the passenger window to talk to his daughters. "New school also means a clean slate, so try not to cause too much property damage on your first day. That goes double for you Ruby. I don't want to be called in because you decided to disassemble something to see how it works."

"No one would have even known it was taken apart, except I had to say how utterly broken it was on the inside." Ruby argued back with confidence in her choice of action.

"All I'm saying is that maybe the two of you tone it down for the first day of school. Now I love the both of you, but I have to get going. I'll be a few minutes late on picking you up, so keep each other company and look out for each other." Tai shouted, as he drove away.

Ruby turned around with Yang to see the two-story structure standing before them. The building was mostly a sickly white that did well to hide some of the dirt that had stained its lower portions. A large clock was built into the center of the structure in what appeared to be a small tower rising from the roof. Yang raised her wrist to look at her watch, then back at the school's clock.

"The tower is about 3 minutes fast," Yang mentioned.

"Great, what do you think the odds are that all the clocks in the school are set to this one?" Ruby asked, watching the minute hand tick forward.

"I say we're about to find out in a minute or so. Do you know where your classes are for today?" Yang looked over to see her sister with a sheet of paper in hand.

"I think I do. This entire system seems so convoluted compared to our old school's one. We have six classes for the year, but we alternate between the first three and the second three each school day." Ruby brought her hands up to her head and began to furiously scratch. "Why did they have to make this so weird?"

"Probably because each teacher wants more than 50 minutes to teach their subject. At least we'll only have three classes worth of homework every day." Yang smiled.

"Maybe that's great for you, but I'm taking a bunch of needless AP courses. I can't believe I let dad talk me into taking them." Ruby frowned at the sight of the three advanced courses printed onto her paper. "It would be cheaper and quicker to take the courses at the local college over Summer and Winter."

Yang was about to respond when a bell rang out from the tower. The sound reaching across the entire parking lot and the school grounds. "I'll find you at lunch, okay?"

Ruby ran up and gave her sister a hug, "See you at lunch." They both walked through the front entrance and turned in opposite directions towards their first class of the day.

Shuffling through the crowded halls, Ruby looked up at each sign posted in an attempt to find her classroom. Moving along the first floor she looked back at her paper to reaffirm the room number for herself. The number 1 at the start of sequence clearly denoting that it was on the first floor. Surely, she hadn't gone to the incorrect wing of the school if the sign she read earlier was to be trusted. Ruby was busy staring at her paper in frustration when she bumped into something and fell back onto the ground. Looking up she saw that it was a person she walked into. Bright red hair flowed from the girl's head as she turned to look at Ruby.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." She extended a hand to Ruby who shakily accepted the offer. With a tug, Ruby was pulled off the floor and onto her feet. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Sorry about running into you. I'm a bit lost and wasn't paying attention to where I was going," Ruby responded. Now getting a better look at the girl she bumped into. The girl was nearly a full foot taller than her and was strong enough to lift her off the ground with ease. She wore jeans that partially covered the tops of her shoes.

"If you need some help finding your class, I could guide you." The girl offered.

"That would be very nice of you."

"Oh, where are my manners? My name is Pyrrha." She stretched out her hand in greeting.

Ruby seemed stunned for a moment and quickly accepted once she came to her senses. "My name is Ruby."

"Well Ruby, it is a pleasure to meet you." Pyrrha looked at the sheet of paper and was shocked at what she saw. Most the courses seemed far too advanced for someone of Ruby's age. "Sorry for asking this, but how old are you? I don't mean to be rude, but this course load seems really advanced."

"I'm fifteen, but I will be turning sixteen before the end of the school year. As for the courses, I'm a bit ahead of people my age."

"That is quite the achievement. Will you be graduating this year then?"

"Yep, along with my sister."

"I wish the both of you the best of luck then. Now, your class should be down this hall and to the right." They walked for a moment as Pyrrha pointed out the correct path.

"Thank you, Pyrrha." Ruby waved goodbye and was about to leave when Pyrrha tapped her on the shoulder.

"Before you go, would you take this flyer?" Pyrrha reached into her backpack and pulled out a bright red paper. "Most the clubs will be going around during lunch to find new members. If you want to drop by after school, you can come and check out the club."

Ruby looked down at the paper and couldn't help but smile at the colorful visage that covered the sheet. The letters RPG were boldly printed on the top along with pictures of tabletop games. Besides the unique images and bright color, nothing seemed jump out at her. A simple flyer asking for people to join or at least see if they wanted to join. Ruby folded the paper and put it in her pocket for later. She rushed down the hall and found her class exactly where Pyrrha had said it was. Stepping into the room, Ruby could see that the chairs were already mostly filled up. Only a handful of desks were still free. Rushing to an open seat, Ruby sat down just as the bell rang.

Students continued to talk amongst each other until their teacher walked through the door. Going up to the whiteboard, he pulled out a marker and began writing. The course title had been written across the board along with the teacher's name.

"As you all can see, this is AP Euro and I am your teacher, Doctor Oobleck. Now I'm going to get a few things out of the way before I give you an opportunity to ask questions." He reached into his messenger bag and pulled out a stack of papers. "This is the course syllabus and should detail most of what this class will entail. It is my job to prepare you for the AP exam which will be held at the end of the year. This exam will determine whether or not you receive college credits for the class."

The papers were passed out to each person in the front row and handed back to each subsequent student. The class remained mostly silent until the girl next to Ruby raised her hand. "Mr. Oobleck?"

"Doctor Oobleck."

"Sorry, Doctor Oobleck, why is their office hours for Beacon university on this paper?" The white-haired girl asked.

"That is because I only teach at Signal High from 7 to 1. If you wish to see me after that time, you'll need to come to my office at Beacon. I became a teacher to help shape the minds of as many students as I could and the extra pay is a nice bonus. Many of you might find this shocking, but not all teachers are evil monsters set on failing you. Some just want to help you pass the class and provide you with the tools to help achieve your goals." Some of the students seemed relieved since the teacher appeared so relaxed. "Before we begin today's lesson, let's take role."

The class let out a groan at the knowledge of actual work on their first day of school. It wasn't long before the first absence was noticed. "Blake Belladonna, is Blake Belladonna here?" Oobleck asked.

"Blake can't attend classes due to a medical condition. I usually pick up all her assignments after school and deliver them to her," The girl with her white hair in a ponytail said.

"Thank you, Miss Schnee. That's very kind of you."

"Thank you, Doctor Oobleck." She gave a soft smile at the acknowledgement.

"Most of you may not have your book yet, but let's get on with today's lesson. It would be a waste to spend the next hour and a half doing nothing."

Ruby pulled out a pencil and began taking notes. Class turned into a blur, as Oobleck began his lecture on early Europe. Most of the students were doing the same. A few even had the book for the class already and were highlighting any point the teacher made. After filling up a few pages worth of notes, the bell rang and signaled the end of class. Everyone was pulling all the items from their desk and throwing them into their backpacks.

Fairly more confident in her navigation skills, Ruby set out to her next class. Hardly any of the students walking past her seemed to be looking at anything and remained focused on making it to their next class. Ruby would occasionally look back at her paper and then to the nearest sign hoping to see something that matched up. Luck seemed to be on her side when she found a staircase with the letter C stenciled on the side. Walking up the flight of stairs, she reached an open room with six class doors. A few students were still walking about outside when Ruby entered the classroom.

Thanks to a quicker arrival, the class wasn't completely filled and a fair number of seats remained empty. Ruby scanned the classroom and recognized a few people from her previous class. Spotting a seat by the girl with white hair, she sat down in the chair. "Hi, my names Ruby. We have AP Euro together."

The girl closed her book and looked Ruby in the eyes. Ruby felt like the center of attention, as if the entire class had turned to face her. It felt like an hour had passed before the girl gave a response. "Weiss Schnee. I didn't notice you."

"That's okay. I don't really stick out to much and I hardly talk during lessons."

"You seem to be doing fine right now," Weiss said with some annoyance.

Ruby seemed to miss the tone shift and continued talking, "Thanks. I'm trying to be more social now since my sister says it's important to make friends."

Weiss used her free hand to rub her forehead in an attempt to ease the building tension she felt. "Look, I know you probably think this is great and you've made a friend, but we need to set some things straight. I have no desire to be friends with you. Do well in class and I might consider partnering up for any group assignments."

"But why?"

"Because friends like you will only serve as a distraction. I have to focus on my studies and prepare for college."

"I mean, why are you so mean now?" Ruby felt betrayed after seeing how Weiss offered to help deceiver a student's assignments.

"If you're talking about me helping Blake, I only do that because I've been delivering her classwork since freshman year. It's little more than a comfortable routine to do on my way home. Now I suggest you pay attention during class," Weiss said as the teacher came through the door.

"It's nice to see so many students taking my class. For those of you who don't know, I am your AP chemistry teacher, Alvina Peach. It is my hope that each of you passes my course along with the test at the end of the year."

Ruby could hardly remember the class, though it wasn't as intense as Ooblecks thanks to the teacher only going over the syllabus and what they should expect through the year. A low growl brought Ruby's attention back to the world. Looking around she saw nothing out of place until she felt her stomach grumbling with hunger. Looking up at the clock she began counting down the minutes left in class until she could go and hangout with her sister. Time seemed to only pass slower now that the clock had Ruby's undivided attention. After an agonizing 7 minutes, the bell rang. The class swiftly emptied as the students rushed to meet their friends and enjoy a meal.

Ruby made her way to the cafeteria and saw her sister's large mane of hair bobbing through the crowds. Slowly shuffling through the masses, Ruby eventually made it to the tables. Yang was already eating her packed lunch and waving for her sister to come over.

"So, how has your day been?" Yang asked in between bites of her sandwich.

"The teachers seem nice, but I met this one girl who was really mean."

"I'm sure she wasn't that bad. Maybe the two of you just got off on the wrong foot."

"I tried being more social and she just bit my head off. This is why I don't like interacting with strangers."

"If you don't talk to them, then how do you expect to make any friends?" Yang began taking another swig of her drink.

Ruby gave a mischievous smile, "For your information, dear sister, I am going to join a club this year." Yang nearly choked on her drink at hearing the news.

Coughing a few times to clear her lungs and throat. She couldn't shake the look of surprise on her face. "So, let me get this straight. You, Ruby Rose, are going to force yourself into a situation where you have to be social."

"It shouldn't be that bad."

"Please tell me you didn't join the chess club."

"No, I didn't and don't make fun of my backup plan. I am going to be joining the RPG club if everything works out."

"Oh my god, are you really joining the nerd brigade? I don't even know what the club is and I can feel the nerdiness seeping through the name." Yang went back to eating her meal as Ruby tried to argue her decision.

"The person I talked to was amazing, she was tall and cool and nice." Ruby was so caught up in her recollection, she failed to notice Pyrrha walk over to their table.

"I didn't realize you thought so highly of me," Pyrrha said, startling Ruby and causing her to jump from her seat.

"You are definitely not what I was expecting." Yang commented at the sight of Pyrrha. The red head stood at 6 ft and was clearly in shape if the muscles on her arm were any indication.

"Sorry to disappoint, but you don't have to sacrifice brawn for brains." Pyrrha smiled at Yang challengingly. "I take it that she's your sister, Ruby?"

"Yep. Yang, meet Pyrrha. She is the one I was telling you about." Ruby replied, happy that her sister couldn't find anything to pick at.

"If you're part of this RPG club, then how do you have a body like that?" Yang motioned to Pyrrha's entirety.

"I used to do track. I stopped this year and decided to enjoy the last year with my friends afterschool, instead of training." Yang nearly flinched at the disarming smile given by the girl. "I hope you aren't mad about me inviting your sister to join our club."

Yang got out of her seat and used her right hand to grip Pyrrha's shoulder. "As long as she's happy, then you'll be happy." Walking out of the lunchroom, Yang left Ruby with Pyrrha.

"Well she seemed nice. I hope you stop by afterschool today, Ruby. I'm sure everyone would be happy to meet you." Ruby sat in her chair and finished her lunch just before the bell rang.

Her final class of the day was physical education and Ruby could feel her muscles aching already. She was never as physically active as Yang and her refusal to accompany Yang on morning runs caught up with her. Trying to jog around the track on her last lap had turned into a trial. Each step causing her legs to burn and her throat feeling rough from the dry air she desperately tried to get into her lungs. Ending her day on such a tortuous class wasn't what she had in mind when she stepped out of her dad's car, but with each exercise completed, she knew that the day was closer to ending. Eventually the whistle was blown and the students returned to the locker room to change out of their gym clothes and prepare for the final bell. Ruby had the flyer in hand and eagerly awaited by the exit with the other students. When the bell was finally heard, the crowd dispersed out of the room. Each student eager to return home after their first day.

Ruby walked around the school in search of the club. After a few minutes, she came across the door and was about to knock when it opened from the inside. The door narrowly missing her, as she jumped back in shock. A girl with short orange hair was about to step out when she noticed Ruby. "You must be the new member Pyrrha was talking about. Stay here and keep Jaune company while I go grab her."

The girl pushed Ruby into the room and ran off in search of Pyrrha, leaving Ruby behind with the other member. The first thing Ruby noticed about the teen was his shy demeanor and blonde hair. His eyes seemed to dart around the room in an attempt to avoid Ruby's. Eventually Ruby decided to break the ice and try talking to him.

"So, I'm kind of curious to what this club actually is. Not to say I won't join but your flyer wasn't the most informative."

"Sorry about that, Nora designed most of it. We're mostly about playing D&D while maintaining our grades. Pyrrha's also been trying to get us to work out with her in the mornings, but it's yet to take." Jaune explained as Ruby listened intently. "The grade thing helped us keep the club established for so long. Our members try to maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA at the end of each semester. Since we're not a sports club and don't have competitions, we have a few harsher restrictions placed on us."

"That shouldn't be a problem for me. If you don't mind me asking, where are all the other members?" Ruby asked curiously.

"All our older members graduated last year. We were hoping to bring in some younger students to help keep the club going for a few more years."

"Uh, Jaune. I'm graduating this year." Ruby could see his mind grind to a halt upon hearing her.

His mind kicked back into gear when he noticed Ruby looking gloom and mirroring his disposition. Putting a smile on, he thought of the new possibilities instead. "Guess we just have to focus on making this year our best one yet now. I'll show you what we're working with, if you want?"

Ruby nodded, as Jaune gave her a tour around the room. Chairs had been stacked against the wall along with desks to make space for the table in the middle of the room. Two small black suitcases were lying on the table. Ruby noticed the two backpacks by the table, each clearly belonging to Jaune and Nora. Jaune popped open one of the suitcases and Ruby saw the foam lining that held the dozens of miniatures in place.

"Nora makes most of our miniatures and paints them." Jaune was about to continue when the door opened.

"Found Pyrrha." Nora skipped into the room with the redhead in tow.

"Sorry for being late. I just needed to make it clear that I wasn't going to be participating in any track meets this year." Pyrrha said, as she placed her backpack next to the other's.

"Ruby, I'd like to introduce you to the remaining members of the RPG club. Nora Valkyrie," The orange haired girl gave a mock salute. "Pyrrha Nikos," The ex-track star gave a polite wave. "and me, Jaune Arc."

Ruby continued to stare at the three, waiting to see if there was something more to happen. When nothing came, she began her introduction. "My name is Ruby and I'm happy to meet you." She responded with an outstretched hand.

"If you ever need help with anything, feel free to grab us," Jaune said with a confident grin.

"Unless it involves bullying or violence. If it does, just call me and Pyrrha. We'll take care of any issues you have." Nora brought her hands together as if she was holding a bat and took a swing with the imaginary weapon. "Jaune's not exactly the best when it comes to physical confrontation."

"If you're done, I'd like to give Ruby the application form." Jaune reached into his backpack and pulled out a yellow form. "You can play a game with us on Wednesday, if you want to see if it's your thing. Test the waters and all that."

"Session's typically run from 2:45 to 5:15 twice a week. If you come on Wednesday, don't worry about bringing anything. We have more than enough supplies to spot several people." Nora started counting her fingers in an attempt to remember how many bags of dice they still had in storage. "Fourth edition was only released to the public about two months ago, so it's going to be a learning experience for all of us."

"Not to sound intrusive but, do you have a ride home?" Pyrrha asked.

"My dad is giving me and my sister a lift back home. Yang should have got her parking pass today too, so now I'll be riding with her to and from school."

"Feel free to sit with us at lunch, Ruby. It would be nice to get to know you. Tell Yang, she's free to tag along too," Pyrrha said.

"Thanks, I'll see you tomorrow at lunch." Ruby waved goodbye and made her way back to Yang.

Her sister was relaxing on a nearby bench. Ruby took a seat next to her sister and waited patiently. Yang didn't seem tired, but unmotivated to do anything about the silence. They enjoyed each other's presence for the next few minutes, until their father arrived. It was mostly a quite ride home as the three enjoyed the passing landscapes.

Reaching the driveway, Ruby and Yang made their way to the house. "Still can't believe that some of my teachers gave us homework on the first day," Yang grumbled.

"At least it should be easy. Remember, if you need any help feel free to ask me." Ruby went upstairs to take a nap and missed the look of contempt as Yang turned her head down. It only took a moment for sleep to overtake her.

Ruby was awoken by the sound of someone knocking on her door. Looking up, she saw her father standing in the doorway. "Could you and Yang go pick up some groceries? We're starting to run low on breakfast and lunch supplies."

"Sure, just let me grab her and we'll head out." Ruby watched her dad leave and then went over to her sister's bedroom door. Rapping the back of her hand against the door, Ruby waited a moment as she heard a chair sliding against the wooden floor.

"Is dinner done already?" Yang asked.

"Dad is still cooking, but he wants us to go grocery shopping."

"It should help pass the time. If we're lucky, dinner will be done by the time we get back." Yang ruffled Ruby's hair as she jumped down the stairs, grabbing the keys on her way. "Borrowing your car, Dad. We'll be back in a few minutes."

Ruby followed behind her sister as they stepped into the garage and got into the car. Pulling out onto the driveway, they could see the dark clouds hanging in the sky. Going down the freeway, Ruby could hear the pitter patter of rain. The storm appeared light so far with how little seemed to be hitting the windshield. One short drive later and they pulled into a parking space near the front of the store. The lot seemed mostly empty with only about 6 other cars dotting the pavement.

Rain began pouring from the sky as Ruby and Yang entered the store. Yang going in search of sandwich supplies as her sister started looking for anything that could be turned into breakfast. Ruby was hopeful that dinner would be done by the time they got back to the house. She was scanning the aisles when she spotted a small girl holding up a cereal box to a man. Ruby couldn't help but smile at the sight of the girl pushing the box at the man as he shook his head back and forth.

"Come on Neo, the last thing you need to eat is that garbage. I cook a real breakfast every morning so we can have an actual meal." The man argued as the box got placed in the shopping cart. "Fine, but you know how hard it is finding a dentist who's willing to operate on you. If you get cavities, then it's all up to you to get them fixed."

The short girl smiled as they continued down the aisle towards checkout. Ruby turned around and went to the back to grab some eggs and milk. It wasn't long before her hand cart was full of enough food to last them for a few weeks. Walking around the store, she eventually found her sister. Both exchanged talk about their respective days and what they had planned. Overall, it had been a good day for the two. Ruby was busy laughing at something Yang said when they rounded the corner and Yang's basket hit the floor.

Ruby looked up and saw the checkout aisle had been painted red. Several people were lying on the floor with a hole going through each of their shirts. The two employees who had been working the registers were resting on the counter with their arms stretched out as if reaching for something. Yang had taken out her phone and was talking to someone. Ruby could hear the words leaving her mouth, but they felt muddled to her mind. Eventually the red liquid pooled across the floor and touched Ruby's shoe. Ruby can only stare down at the liquid as her mind catches up to everything in front of her.

'O _h, that's blood,'_ with those final thoughts, Ruby collapsed into darkness as Yang's voice was heard in the background.

* * *

 **Really couldn't push into the fight this chapter. After getting all these characters set up though, I feel confident in having progression and fights for the next few chapters of the story. At this point, it is pretty much clear that about 90% of named characters will play some role in the upcoming chapters. I can't wait to start reaching into the pool of Stand Users I created and having them face of against one another.  
**


	3. Confrontation

**Beta reader: Poliamida**

* * *

A man with bright red hair was relaxing in his house when the phone began to ring. Looking around the room momentarily, he decided to grab the phone himself. He immediately regretted the choice once he recognized the number. Running a hand through his hair to help calm down.

"What is it you need done now?" His voice was more annoyed than anything else.

"Roman, don't you cherish the friendship we've built up over the years? Must I have a job for you when I call?" A woman's voice asked back from the phone.

"Well, seeing as how my home hasn't burnt down yet, I feel like there is reason to this house call. You know I don't like being disturbed while I'm off the clock."

"You're never off the clock Roman. If we have work for you to do, you will do it. As for why I called, it seems that you were sloppy on your last job a few days ago," a hint of disappointment filled her voice at the mention of the botched job.

"What? I sent the message loud and clear to anyone who was even thinking of deserting. I did a head count afterwards, no one survived our little show." Roman nearly yelled back into the phone.

"Well my sources say otherwise. One, Ruby Rose, was admitted to the hospital on the night of your little show. She arrived in one of the ambulances dispatched to that grocery store. It seems she either doesn't know anything or is withholding information. I don't care either way, but I expect you to clean up this mess before it becomes a problem."

"Alright, alright, I'll make her disappear."

"No, you won't. This girl is new to Vale and I don't like variables running around in my city. Find out if she has any potential and if she does, give her the usual offer. Should this girl refuse or prove to be nothing, then do whatever you must to get rid of her." The woman ended the call, knowing Roman's response.

"Great, we got to deal with some child now." Roman pulled a cigar from his jacket and went to his balcony. Pulling out a box of matches, he struck a match. The cold night air was doing wonders to wake him up. He even failed to notice when Neo walked up behind him. The small girl startling Roman and causing him to drop his cigar. "Don't scare me like that."

Neo brought her hand up to her mouth in a mock laugh.

"You're hysterical. Now if you're done I have some interesting news. You remember that job we did down at the grocery store?" Neo nodded, remembering how easy the task was. "Well we missed someone. Turns out the boss isn't too happy about our little mishap so we're going to rectify it. I'll ask around and get what we need. That means you get to try and recruit her. If she doesn't have a Stand, feel free to play around for a bit. Just remember that she is either with us or dead by the end of your little play date."

Neo gave Roman a hug, before departing back into the house. The girl was giddy with excitement for the coming week. She could finally get to enjoy playing around without Roman looking over her shoulder. Her next thoughts were on possible locations and how she was going to spend her evening. The moon was high in the sky, as Neo planned her future outing.

* * *

She didn't know how to feel about the previous few days. The numbness eventually began to subside, but in its wake, came a dull pain. Fear and worry about what she had seen. Neither her nor her sister saw what actually took place or caused the carnage. Their statements seemed to only add to the confusion when no gunshot was heard by either of them. Even a silenced weapon would have been heard due to the shot being fired indoors, but nothing was heard by either sister. After being questioned, she was released with a grumble from the officers and being told not to discuss the incident with anyone.

Ruby still remembered the look on her father's face when she refused to seek counseling. Though he could force her to go, nothing forced her to actually participate. After a few talks, he withdrew and let Ruby try to handle the situation herself. Returning to school on Thursday and immersing herself in her classes. The school was in a bit of a uproar over the killings, but most of the talk was about the killer being at large. No one seemed to know if there was even a single survivor from the incident.

By the next week, Ruby had felt almost normal. The initial shock vanishing and most of her thoughts on the night pushed to the back. The bell ringing for her last class of the day brought her mind back to the present. grabbing her books, she headed off to meet Yang. Her sister usually hanging out in the student parking lot. It wasn't difficult for Ruby to spot Yang standing near the bright yellow motorcycle.

"So, how was your day?" Yang asked.

"My day was fine, Yang. I told you, I was just a bit shaken up. It's not like I'm made of glass." Ruby tried defending herself.

"I know you're not, but I'm still your older sister. It's my job to look out for you."

"And I appreciate it. At some point you're going to have to let me grow up."

Yang was about to say something, when Ruby's phone started buzzing. The younger girl flipped her phone open as her eyes began scanning the screen. Deciding to end the silence, Yang spoke up. "So, what does it say?"

"Jaune and the gang want to know if I can go hangout at the shopping center.." Ruby continued reading the message over.

"Wait, how does leader of the nerds have your number?"

"It's on the application form I turned in. Thinking about it, I should probably get everyone's number while I'm down there."

"Sounds great. It would do you some good to interact with people outside of club activities. Maybe you'll actually have a normal highschool life." Yang joked.

Ruby ignored Yang's joke and looked between her sister and the bike. "Would you mind giving me a lift?"

"Sure thing just-" Yang's phone began to buzz. Her face turning into a slight frown at the sight of the message. "I'm really sorry Ruby, but I have something I need to take care of right now. It's only a three block walk. I promise I'll make it up to you when you get home." Yang saw her sister turn her head down in defeat.

"Fine. I'll just ask Ren or Pyrrha for a ride home."

"You're the best, Ruby." Yang gave her sister a kiss on the head, before throwing her helmet on and driving away.

Ruby watched her sister drive off and began her walk to the mall. While she was walking, Ruby thought about her new group of friends and how they proved themselves a reliable source of normalcy once she returned to school. She was so focused on her thoughts that she failed to notice the two approaching figures. They were passing a nearby law firm when she bumped into one of the figures. Something sharp stabbed into her shoulder as an arm was brought around her. Ruby tried to let out a scream only for no sound to escape her lips. Ruby could feel her breath being exhaled as she tried to scream, but she was surrounded by complete silence. The man's figure was large enough to hide her from any passing cars. Ruby felt her eyes beginning to close when she noticed that someone shorter than the man was on her other side. Both had begun guiding her along towards a parking lot when her entire world turned to darkness.

* * *

"Looks like the new girl is being thrown against Neo." The person looking over the monitor said with some disgust. "They're not even sure if she's a Stand User, if Neo's going to be playing dumb."

They saw the screen flicker for a moment as a shining figure masked in black walked across the screen and vanished into its edge. "Sorry I can't help you, Little Red. Worse comes to worse, I'll make sure your body is recovered and given a burial."

They watched as the girl in red was hauled into the building with Neo walking behind them. It was only a few minutes, before the two carrying Red walked back out and drove off. Neo was still in the building and awaiting the start of the game. No cameras lined the interior of the building, preventing the observer from witnessing what was about to transpire. Best case, they could see who leaves and figure out what to do next from there.

Electricity seemed to spark from all the surrounding camera's in the area, as more videos filled the screens. Complete surveillance to track any traffic coming or going from the area. No one could go in or out, at least in a vehicle, without being seen. It was going to be a long night of waiting. The observer looked around the room momentarily and took notice of the amount of trash that had begun to build up. Chinese takeout and empty boxes of pizza stacked 3 ft tall. With some time to kill before the winner was likely to emerge, they went to work and began stuffing the trash into garbage bags.

After the room was relatively clean, they grabbed a vacuum from the closet. The onlooker taking their time at the task. Moving around the house, it was only about an hour before they managed to clean most of their house. Trash piled up beside the door to be moved out in the middle of the night and dinner ordered over the phone. The monthly cleaning was complete and a meal in route.

The person motioned towards a power outlet that began to spark for a moment. Out of the sparks came a figure shrouded in black panels. The shell resembled that of an older model stealth aircraft. Reflective steel being turned at sharp angels around it's extremities and chest. Against the night sky or simple darkness, it would be tough for anyone to notice. Spherical joint with an almost plastic like sheen allowed its limbs rotate.

"Glad you could join me." The person said with a grin. "You know how much I hate talking to myself. It's probably best for my mental health to have some semblance of a conversation with something human like."

The smooth glass like head that adorned the Stand's head lit up in a myriad of colors. Bars of LED like lights contorting into a smile that encompassed the face.

"I am not getting a cat to talk to. I have you, so why would I need an animal for companionship?"

The yellow lights shifted to blue and began forming a wave that shifted from one end of the visor to the other.

"Being alone for four years has not made me crazy. I just don't like people very much. You know that."

The clam ocean transitioned into a storm with lighting occasionally crashing down against the darkness.

"Fine then. If Little Red survives I'll try to make a," She nearly choked on the foreign word trying to leave her throat, "friend."

The stormy clouds parted and revealed a sun with beams of light turning the dreary black into a vibrant blue.

"I can't wait to prove you wrong, **「Little Talks** **」**." The girl was about to say something when the doorbell rang. "This isn't over. Just keep an eye on things. I'll be up in a minute."

Electricity began to bounce around the Stand as it was pulled back through the outlet. Looking through the peephole revealed the deliveryman with a bag of food in hand. Undoing the locks on the door, she opened it.

"Hello, Mam." The teen said. "Your total is 16.59"

Pulling out three 10 dollar bills she quickly handed it off to the teen and uttered a quick, "Keep the change," as she took the food and closed the door.

Walking to the monitoring room, she pulled up a chair and opened her to-go box. Breaking apart a pair of chopsticks filled the quite room with a snap. She leaned back in her chair and began enjoying her meal. A hot meal was always nice to enjoy. She'd have to add a few things to her morning workout, but the extra work made her meal all the more enjoyable. It would only be a few minutes till the fight resolved and an answer to the bet given.

* * *

Ruby woke up with sudden shock. Sitting upright as she scanned her surroundings. She was alone in a empty room with dirt covering the concrete floor. It took Ruby a minute to realize that she wasn't anywhere she recognized. Her head throbbed with pain and the light seeping through the windows hurt her eyes. After her eyes adjusted to the light, Ruby saw a girl sitting on a crate.

The girl looked young and was only 4'10. Besides the small size, half of her brown hair appeared to have been dyed pink. She appeared bored or possibly tired, with how she hadn't even noticed Ruby waking up. The sudden voice in the room causing her to jump off the crate she occupied.

"Do you know where we are?" Ruby asked.

The girl only shrugged her shoulders in response to the question.

She pulled out her phone to see it had no signal. "Looks like we'll have to get out of here first." Ruby quickly noticed the metal door on the other side of the room. "Well, have you tried leaving the room?"

A deadpan stare was all Ruby received from the question.

"Okay then." Ruby awkwardly shuffled to the door and pressed it open. "That was easier than expected. Just follow me and I'm sure we'll find the exit."

Neo refused to move and instead shirked away from the open door. For an added effect, she began to shake while bringing her arms up defensively.

Ruby recognized the reaction as fear and tried to find a way to sooth the girl. It only took her a moment to find a solution. Taking off her backpack, Ruby reached passed her school books and pulled out her arm bracer. Strapping the device to her left arm, she quickly tightened it down. "Look, this is Thorned Rose. I built her with some materials my uncle got me. As long as we have this, nothing can harm us." Ruby gave a confident smile to the girl.

Neo could hardly keep a straight face as she laughed internally at the sight of the child's toy. This only served to cement Neo's thought of the girl being little more than a lucky witness who escaped their sight. The oncoming fight would be short and lack the usual fun Neo desired. With a slight frown, she followed behind the girl in red.

Since the girl in red was normal, Neo began thinking of how to enjoy her night. Ruby walked in front of Neo while they explored the empty building. The gesture wholly lost on Neo. She brought her hands out and clapped them together. The impact resulting in complete silence as a translucent figure began to come into existence behind her. Each silent clap causing it to become more and more visible.

The figure wasn't to imposing with it being about as tall as Neo. Most of its body was a smooth white with a pink checkered board pattern running across it. Stained glass made the skirt that barely reached its knees. The stand raised its left and right hand, pointing them at Ruby. A speaker adorned each of it's palms and slowly began reverberating.

Deciding to have some fun, Neo launched her attack at Ruby's left arm. The air began to shake in front of the Stand's hands, until a snap was heard. A canon of air was launched at Ruby's arm and almost immediately made contact. The effects were instant, as she clutched her arm. Nothing on the exterior damaged, but the bones were experiencing several hairline fractures beginning to take form. Ruby quickly turned around to see Neo smiling and a Stand behind her. With no other options, Ruby ran down the hall and turned the corner as quickly as she could. As she rounded the corner, the wall she passed had cracks suddenly imprinted onto it from the attack second attack she managed to avoid.

Neo happily skipped after her inured prey. The game had stated and she was going to get enjoyment out of it somehow. Even if it meant playing with the new girl until she broke. Caught up in her thought, Neo barely had time to register the steel ball speeding down the hallway. Her Stand barely making it in time to block the shot. A sharp bang was heard, as the steel ball was stopped. Looking down at her hand, Neo saw the bruise beginning to form. Her smile turned into a angry scowl at the sight of the injury. Grabbing a wooden plank from the ground, she began smashing nearby windows. Each strike resulting in silence from the shattering material and her Stand beginning to visibly shake.

After Neo managed to regain her composure, she set out on her new task. Getting rid of the latest pest that managed to enter the spotlight. Neo gave chase to Ruby. Running down the hall her prey had fled. Reaching a split in the path, Neo ran at the wall as her Stand slammed its hand into the wall. An explosion of dust accompanied the pulverization of the barrier. Letting Neo leap through the hole and continue forward.

Ruby could hear the sudden explosion behind her. Bringing her hand over the bracer, she cupped another steel ball in her hand. After a few seconds, it began to shine a dark red. She placed it back on the magnetic strip to join the other 7 she had managed to prep while running away. Coming to a stop in the middle of the hall, Ruby loaded another bearing into her weapon. Turning towards the wall, she fired a bearing and stepped to the side. A streak of Red perpetually bouncing in the center of the hall. Repeating the process 5 more times at different angles resulted in several red streaks covering her trail. Turning the hall into a treacherous path to follow. With her back covered, Ruby continued her search for an exit.

Every window she came across was boarded up from the outside. Beams of light coming through the cracks and decay. She could tell that the sun was setting due to the hue of the sky. Most the doors leading to rooms appeared to be open, but every exit was heavily locked with chains. The sound of heels walking down a nearby hallway brought Ruby to a stop. Drawing her sling back, she launched a ball into the corridor. The red sphere bouncing through the hall until it clanged against something. When the footsteps returned, Ruby rapidly fired ball after ball into the hall. Each resulting in the same sound and the steps getting closer. With nothing working, Ruby fled down a hallway.

Night was approaching and a chill was beginning to fill the air. The lack of heat from the building causing Ruby to pull her jacket tight for added warmth. Even the holes in the roof served to only help vent what little heat remained. Every now and again, the builing would rattle from Neo trying to get Ruby to reveal her location.

"Come on out little red. I have so much I want to talk to you about." Neo's voice seemed to be coming from everywhere at once and was unnatural with a fluctuating pitch.

Ruby felt herself curl up even tighter in the vain hope that she would wake up and it would all be a bad dream. The cold was already beginning to eat into her body. She couldn't even figure out how her situation came to be. Her arm was in pain, but no external wounds or marked line it. Tightening her hand into a fist, Ruby felt her forearm begin to scream out in pain.

Her bracer was likely helping ease whatever was causing the pain since the arm seemed to maintain most functionality. Looking at the bracer, she saw that only 4 steel balls remained. The sound of footsteps could be heard echoing from the building. Ruby gripped one of the balls as it slowly turned red in her grip. It was only a matter of time before her hiding spot was discovered and the noise emanating from everywhere was only serving to further build her stress.

Placing the steel ball in the pouch, she slowly drew it back in an attempt to quite the sound of the weapon tensing. Taking a breath to steady her arm, Ruby leaped from her hiding spot. Aiming down the hall, she saw no one walking towards her. Rolling out of the way, the windows behind her exploded into shards. Ruby turned around and loosed her grip on the pouch. The red sphere shot out at blinding speeds.

Neo brought her arms up to shield her vital and felt the projectile pierce her arm and embed itself. The object giving off enough heat to burn her flesh. Blood began to fill the wound in an attempt to seal the newly formed hole. The crimson liquid dripping down her arm. She opened her mouth out of instinct to scream in pain, only for nothing to come out.

Ruby watched in fear as her attacker stomped and screamed in silence. She loaded another sphere into her weapon in an attempt to survive the encounter. Neo threw her arm outwards in a wave as her Stand appeared behind her. The Stand holding up its arm with hand clenched into a finger gun. The glass skirt of the Stand seemed to reverberate as the shockwave passed up through its body towards the arm. Particles in the air began shifting left to right rapidly.

Ruby released her grip launching her attack and Neo's Stand fired its attack as it reached its peak. The air in front of Neo began to distort as the invisible attack warped its surrounding's appearance. A smirk began to form Neo's face as she watched the red sphere approach her focused wave of sound. Instead of being pulverized into dust, the sphere passed through the attack as if it didn't exist. Neo quickly tried to bring her arms up to shield herself, but was to slow. The sphere clipped her arm and carved a chunk out of her cheek.

Ruby turned around after launching her attack and seeing the oncoming distortion. The attack smashed into her back, throwing Ruby off her feet. Neo briefly looked over the motionless girl laying on the floor. A baseball sized hole was torn through the center Ruby's backpack. Giving a smirk of satisfaction, Neo brought her hand up to her damaged cheek and walked towards the buildings exit. Her wounds weren't fatal to any extent, but needed to be patched up. She knew that Roman would never let her live down the whole debacle, since she insisted on handling it herself.

Ruby's body laid in the building for about an hour after Neo left, before it began to stir. Ruby rolled on to her side and slide her backpack off. The hole only piercing the outside of the pack and failing to penetrate through to the other side. Ruby slide her hand into the bag. Withdrawing her arm revealed a multitude of books with cylinder like hole drilled through all, but one. Resting on her back, Ruby tried to regain her breath as her heart pounded away.

Ruby gripped her injured arm and slowly gathered her belongings. Slipping her back pack on her uninjured arm, she headed towards the buildings back exit. The throbbing in Ruby's arm had dulled. It still flared with pain, but nowhere close to what it was initially like. Flipping her phone open, Ruby called the one person she could trust.

"Please pick up." Ruby was about to give up when she heard the call connect.

"Ruby?" Yang asked sleepily. "Why are you calling me? If you need someone to pick you up, just ask dad. I'm trying to get some sleep." The sound of weeping on the other end caused Yang to leap out of her bed.

"Can you come get me?" Ruby asked with a strained voice.

Yang grabbed her jacket and threw it on as she opened her bedroom door. "Just tell me where you are and I'll grab dad."

"No!" Ruby shouted, "you can't tell dad about this. I can't involve him after what just happened. Please, just come and get me."

Yang looked at her phone in worry over what could have happened to her sister. Taking a breath, she exhaled and brought the phone back up to her head. "Tell me where you are and I'll bring bumblebee."

"I'm at the corner of Buckeye and Westlane. I can see the freeway in the distance." Ruby leaned up against the building for support.

"It's going to be a few minutes. Just stay where you are and I'll be there soon." Yang ended the call and waved goodbye to her father. "I'll be back in a few minutes. I'm going to grab a bite to eat with Ruby."

"Be careful. It's starting to get dark." Tai warned as his daughter left.

Yang pulled her bike out of the garage. Taking to the street, Yang was filled with worry for her sister. Ruby was never one to get into trouble outside of school and was about 20 minutes out if Yang took the freeway. Yang felt the wind whipping against her as she sped towards her destination. Her mind having trouble trying to focus on anything besides her sister. The drive cooled her exposed skin as what heat provided by the sun vanished in the wind. Soon the streets were lit by lights with the sun setting behind the mountain.

Yang pulled up to the crossing and took her helmet off. She looked back and forth in search of her sister. Considered the poor part of Vale, east side was filled with abandoned buildings and failed businesses. Most the structures were condemned with the only real traffic skirting the edges of the district. Nearly jumping at the sound so a rolling can, Yang turned towards the source. Ruby was leaning against the alleyway barely visible.

Ruby opened her eyes and saw her sister standing over her with concern. "Hey, Yang. It's good to see you."

Yang pulled Ruby up and helped her over to bumblebee. As they walked over, she noticed that Ruby had Thorned Rose attached to her arm. That along with the missing spheres and injuries didn't paint the prettiest picture. "What happened to you, Ruby? How did you even get to this side of town?"

"I woke up in a building a few blocks away. The last thing I remember before waking up, was something hitting me in the arm." Yang pulled up her sister's sleeve to reveal a splotch of red skin with a small puncture wound at its center. "It's all a bit of a blue after that, but I fought someone. She was trying to kill me, so I fought back."

"Are you okay?" Yang tightened the grip she held on her sister.

"My left arm hurts and I think I have a bruise on my back." They finally reached bumblebee and Yang helped get Ruby situated on the bike.

"We're going to grab something to eat because I know you haven't eaten all day. Then, we are going to try and figure this out. Okay?" Yang pulled her helmet down and double checked Ruby's.

"Thanks, Yang," Ruby mumbled into her sister's back.

* * *

"She actually survived. I can't believe the new girl survived against Neo." She paused for a moment before realizing the implications of what had just occurred. "Oh shit, she survived." The girl turned towards the Stand as it phased into existence from the monitor. "I can't even ask Weiss to be my friend because I've refused to interact with her for years. Do you know how awkward that would be for me?"

Little Talk's head merely tilted to the side in response.

"Of course I care about my public appearance. Why do you think I keep my hair trimmed and take morning showers?"

The Stand went back into the monitor and began pulling up pictures of the two girls on the motorbike. Each one taken at a different intersection they passed.

"Well at least I can update my book." She opened up the top drawer at her desk and pulled out a thick notebook. Multiple colored tabs of tap extruding from the top, each designated by a different name. The only three visible from the front being, Neo, R Torchwick, & C Soleil. Opening the book to a fresh page, she began writing down the appearance of the red hooded girl. It would only take a few days of surveillance to fill out the section, but the new comer might prove interesting. It wasn't every day that someone new entered the scene and survived an encounter with Serenity without being recruited.

"Let's see if I can kill two birds with one stone." She motioned to the screen as images of Yang began to fill the monitor. "Shouldn't be too hard to pull a few strings. Fates overrated anyways."

* * *

 **It was fun to work out the scenes between Ruby and Neo. Having Neo use her Stand for traversal via destruction just felt like something incredibly direct that she'd use upon meeting an obstacle. Besides all that, I've always had a fascination with sound. Specifically reverberation and resonance frequency. The idea that everything in the world has a specific tune or pattern that can cause it to catastrophically shake or fall apart was something I fell in love with as a kid. Even the ability to take away sound in the environment wold be terrifying to deal with. Entering a zone of complete silence just sounds terrifying to me. For now, here is Neo's Stand and its stats. I'm only going to reveal a Stand's ability list upon a characters death or end of the story.  
**

 **User: Neapolitan**

 **Stand: Rebel Yell**

 **Destructive Power: A**

 **Speed: B**

 **Durability: C  
**

 **Range: D**

 **Precision: C  
**

 **Development Potential: D  
**


End file.
